January 4, 2021 7:41 am Following the sudden loss of his son, Geno on December 18, Andrew Fillipponi has announced he is returning to the air for the first time since his family's devastating loss. I have no problem with him. Poni got emotional during the announcement on-air alongside co-host and friend Chris Mueller because it has been a three-year journey for Andrew and his wife. BN: I wanted to get your thoughts on the Stetson Bennett thing. Tickets and hotel packages are on sale now. I never thought Id raise a family in Atlanta. In between hanging out with those guys and probably drinking and gambling too much, there was some constructive work that was getting done there.BN: My ears perked up when you said gambling. On Jan. 4, 2021, after taking some time off to grieve his son and care for his wife, Andrew returned to the air on 93.7 The Fan to thank the Pittsburgh community for their support and everyone else who rallied around him and his family during this time. Shapiro talks about his weekday show at 92.9 The Game, and how rotating co-hosts keeps The Steakhouse fresh. I told Danny and Nick I hope that people dont think Im the Ringo Starr of that crew in college, but I kind of feel like I am, which Im totally all right with. It doesnt take away from the company I run, Bread n Butter / Atlanta Eats. My argument to him was I know more about baseball than I do stocks or any kind of investment strategy so why wouldnt you just let me its not just one game, its a full season why wouldnt you trust me to take that money and bet it on a baseball team for an entire year? Sam Pines is already there and thinking about these very topics every day. We immediately scheduled a doctor's appointment. You have about 20 to 30 seconds that they want you to get all the information you can in that time and then talk back to the action because you dont want to miss a hit in baseball or a goal in hockey, Hersch explained. I think that hes really good at that. Since I was in my early teens and I discovered this was a medium, these types of people that have had either national or really important local sports talk radio shows; Ive always had a curiosity with those people. .I think its a lot better to just be able to speak your mind and kind of just for our analysts to be able to call it like they see it and they dont have to sugarcoat it. Im eternally grateful to Craig that after a two-hour encounter he took that chance on me and paid it forward. Similar to how people in Miami accept hurricanes or residents in Los Angeles accept earthquakes, most people that work in radio simply accept that they could be out of a job at seemingly any moment. Im right in a sweet spot for the format. Some of his favorite moments there include working Jim Kelly's Hunter's Hope . The couple went through "constant fertility doctor visits. I was an owner and on the radio for 17 years straight. Im just really passionate about the whole thing. On Thursday night, while signing off of the 10:00 News on the Pittsburgh CW, KDKA-TV anchor Ken Rice mispronounced the name of 93.7 The Fan radio host Andrew Fillipponi when sending viewers to the . The five of us including my producer, Orin Romain, who worked for me back at The Zone years ago. Brian Noe: How are things going for you at The Game? Nick and Chris were hired by me, Chuck and Chernoff were hired by me, Kincade was hired by me, Buck Ballew, Mike Bell. He hosts the Chewing Clock and Media Noise podcasts. One of the many things that stand out about Andrew is that he has a whos who of close contacts in the business. I feel like as long as you have expressed to the people here that you care about the teams I dont think being anti-Steelers works here. The group will address some of the key issues facing the media industry while also reflecting on some of the biggest success stories. SS: I moved to Atlanta in 1995 to do mornings. Maybe it has taken some getting used to, but who wouldnt rather spend winters with sunshine and days that top out in the 60-and-70-somethings as opposed to freezing rain and negative temperatures? Growing up in upstate New York, he graduated from Syracuse University, where he worked as a talk show director at a radio station named WAER. AF: Thats a great question. Trubisky has had better success with a less stable organization. Thats a really beautiful thing to me., My Why Its moments like this that remind me WHY I decided to try something new and scary and stressful like play-by-play for an NHL game on an international broadcast. My senior year I was the director of the sports talk staff, which is the position that Nick held before me and the position that Danny held after me. When Rusty comes in, or Drew comes in, or Sandra comes in, theyre so fired up to be there. The person youre interviewing, I think, can very quickly know if youre just nodding your head and waiting to ask your next question, Hersch said. Hockey is non-stop action [where] every second, something could happen; whereas baseball is a lot more methodical.. Its no longer this big deal, pressure-cooker show that it [once] was., Shoutout to all the AMAZING women working at #NHLNetwork! Andrew Fillipponi And His Wife On Their Wedding (Source Instagram) Im not out to hurt peoples feelings, but Im paid to give my opinion. In the past, Hersch was motivated to excel in order to continue improving and satisfy her ego and other self-serving interests. Andrew Fillipponi has had a solid career in sports radio thus far. There are a lot of my friends that have done amazing things in this business and Im so proud of them. While she was grateful to receive chances to go on the air, she desired to tell feature stories that she found excitement in reporting, drawing her back to the world of sports. But if he was looking for a prove-it moment, developing an AFC North contender looks a lot better than whatever is going . People choose to attend the BSM Summit for all kinds of reasons, and it is people at every level of the sports media business. Moreover, it is critical to know information about each of the players whether they are a superstar or a healthy scratch, along with their tendencies just in case they end up becoming the primary storyline of the contest or a last-minute addition. Mrs. Filliponi made a post on September 16, 2021, on Instagram where she revealed all about the highs and lows he endured alongside her. Andrew Fillipponi And His Wife On Their Wedding (Source Instagram) She shared that 2020 was by far the hardest year for the couple, and it was a year that could have wrenched their relationship. One of the many things that stand out about Andrew is that he has a who's who of close contacts in the business. We see that with all the teams that that we work with.. Article continues below advertisement . Im an on-air guy, I was an English major, I got a masters in journalism, I didnt know jack shit about owning a business, or being an entrepreneur. I may not be the most talented talk host in history, but nobody gets more excited to be doing sports talk and doing radio. PM Team co-host Andrew Fillipponi announced on Tuesday that his wife Amanda is pregnant with their first child. Here are situations by no fault of my own where Im out of a job, and if I didnt own a company that was my 9-to-5 really, then I would have had to move. I was in my 20s. I would put him in the Hall of Fame ahead of Big Ben. In addition to staying on the pulse of the team, she was responsible for eliciting comprehensive, succinct analyses from panelists and, when necessary, conducting interviews. .All of us as hosts, I think now we tend to be a little more open and fluid with the more, I guess, traditional style of hosting.. SS: So my real name is Stephen. As much as he appreciates and enjoys sports, I think that watching sports and talking sports for him you cant separate the two. Talking about how she has been "an angry, basket-case," she said, Youre not going to get better being a producer, youre not going to get better doing news, youve got to be a sports talk host. That sounds better. I didnt know about NASCAR. I dont think shtick works. Shapiro also explains how much better his reality in Atlanta has been compared to his expectations and reveals the story behind his stage name. ad by Mobitell Ad from shop Mobitell. LA is very worthy of hosting a conference featuring some of the most influential minds and biggest names in sports media. Someone kind of called my bluff on that, Hersch explained pertaining to how she started to think about working at the craft. I didnt know college football. @937theFan. The people here that have been successful have been able to ratchet up the intensity about the teams here, not always agree with the teams here, but have a lot of passion and a lot of emotion about whats happening. You can find him on Twitter @DemetriRavanos and reach him by email at DemetriTheGreek@gmail.com. Then I went to another radio station, which is kind of like the competing student radio station at Syracuse. It is amazing to me, he says. One time we were in a debate with each other and I slipped up and said it on the air just as a witty comeback. But Im in the prime of my career in terms of owning a business. I prefer the way content creators think. Hes borrowed some ideas and made them better, which is not to say hes a copycat of anybody or hes trying to do somebody elses shtick, but I just think hes very well aware of what works and what doesnt work in this business, what gets a reaction and what doesnt. Its not only about money. Hersch will host trade deadline coverage on NHL Tonight this Friday at 7 p.m. EST, where she will recap all of the transactions around the league, guiding and contributing to the discussion as the playoffs move closer. I would say we were quote-unquote roommates because of the amount of time we spent together. They did an alumni dinner every year and I met Craig Carton there. How would swapping out Leftwich for Canada make you feel? Andrew isnt just looking up at the success his friends have achieved; many sports radio hosts are chasing the success Andrew has enjoyed. Thats what its about. Andrew Fillipponi joined Pittsburgh's Sports radio 93.7 the Fanwhen the station launched in February of 2010. It was dead not even halfway through the season. She has been with the station for twelve years and is now the program director. What works for them in that market? By. We got done with the segment and he lost it on me. This is not breaking news. I was in Buffalo for a very short time and Ive been here for now more than a decade. Never dreamed of that. I know that he obviously does his homework and hes well researched, but what always impresses me about him is hell say something that you can tell was a reactionary point, something that got said and he had to come up with his rebuttal to it in real time. Now those are like the back of my hand. By gaining as many repetitions as possible and possessing an acute awareness of sports and the business world, established and aspiring professionals alike can stay ahead of the curve and avoid mayhem at the last minute. It's even more so when we know that they really struggled with infertility. Im very humble about it. I want to keep up with them. But is it toxic out there? Steelers rumor: Mike Tomlin is waiting to see if Byron Leftwich gets fired before making a move on Matt Canada. For me its just really an unconditional love that I have for sports talk radio and sports debate that really fuels me and allows me to put 100 percent into this at really all times.BN: What is your 60-second bullet point resume?AF: I went to Syracuse. SS: This is a format that Im actually fresh. My only thought was just do a good show every day, promote yourself, be good to people and good things will happen. 2023 Audacy, Inc. All rights reserved. Even though it's 5 years vs 18 years. Once per week, she participated in a newscast resembling professional working conditions, including a morning editorial meeting, shooting stories as a one-man band and editing the piece in time for the show. Its super fun. Sandra and I are like Kelly and Ryan, weve been together forever. When you fake it, I think thats the worst thing you can do. When you think back to your initial move to Atlanta, what was in your head back then and how far away was it from the reality of what actually came to be? Whether it is the addition of a pitch clock, larger bases or limiting defensive shifts, baseball is attempting to modernize tradition and ingratiate itself towards a younger audience. Discovery is looking to divest its assets in the business; and NBCUniversal planning to stream its RSNs on Peacock, the business and coverage of teams is changing. ESPN 710 LA can point to Amanda Brown as evidence that it is worth investing in and elevating diverse points of view. I love Stetson Bennett, his career. While baseball has instituted several new roles ahead of the 2023 season to speed up the pace of play which have largely been successful in spring training the game of hockey at its core is predicated on dynamic action. Leaving home was not an easy decision for Hersch and it disappointed fans of Minneapolis-St. Paul sports; however, it gave her the opportunity to appear on a national stage. Hes one of my best friends. My worst loss; I convinced my old man to give me my college graduation present in the form of a $10,000 check to put on a baseball future. You can follow him on Twitter @TheNoeShow or email him atbnoe@premierenetworks.com. Although Hersch preferred her time as a studio host for Wild broadcasts because of the extended time to effectively report a story, being able to maintain a constant presence around the Twins gave her unparalleled access. I dont think he can exist in a world where he just could watch sports and then didnt have the platform to talk about them. Next thing you know, I was out of a job because the Dickeys, David Dickey and their family, leased their station to Cox. You see it. I was engaged to be married to my first wife and I thought to myself, this is going to be my future. Geno was diagnosed with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome or as Andrew and his wife Amanda put it, In laymans terms the left side of his heart was extremely tiny.. When we find out our favorite celebrity or personality has a baby on the way, it's exciting news. BN: When you think about your future over the next five years radio, businesses, projects what do you want it to look like? Sadly, Geno couldn't make it, but Amanda, being the strongest mother and a woman, shared how what would have been the worst day of their lives was actually the best day of their lives. Previous stops include WAVH and WZEW in Mobile, AL, WBPT in Birmingham, AL and WBBB, WPTK and WDNC in Raleigh, NC. Its just wild how many people Ive met in this business that have gone on to have incredible careers and have had an affect on me. If youre boring, youre not there. Even though the game is played with the ultimate goal of winning the Stanley Cup in mind, the action on and around the ice genuinely extends beyond a frigorific clash. "Amanda and I would like to introduce you to Geno. Sandra [Golden] and I are back together three days a week. We went out for drinks and out of nowhere he decided that he liked me. Now, I didnt think Id ever be in the food business; its actually even a better food name. In other words, she is able to examine timely storylines whether they pertain to the Montral Canadiens, Seattle Kraken or any team in-between free of the repudiation or suppression from expressing a point of view. Im going to be beholden to new radio ownership. 77. I think the panel, it sounds like its going to look way too much like me. Andrew Fillipponi is on Facebook. Hersch transitioned into anchoring and reporting on sports on WKOW-TV where she covered teams including the Milwaukee Brewers, Green Bay Packers and University of Wisconsin Badgers. I do think that theyre provincial, but I dont think it comes from a bad place because I think sports here is kind of like a religious experience. Furthermore, Hersch views the hockey community as familial in the sense that there is a predominant sense of professional congeniality around the league. Apart from radio gigs, he works on KDKA-TV's "Sports Showdown" and KDKA-AM. He's currently the station's evenings host and Pitt Panthers post-game host. Trubisky > Rudolph. BN: Youve been at The Zone, The Fan, and now The Game for multiple decades. BN: What stage of your career did you think, man, Ive got to have more stability professionally than just radio? Some of the biggest stars in our industry will be there. Pains to me to say this: If Patrick Mahomes pulled an Andrew Luck and retired today. Much like developing strategy at the trade deadline, Hersch continues to ruminate over her career filled with relocations, special events and other trials and tribulations to serve as a role model for women in sports media and catalyze a new normal. Thats, I think, liberating from a national perspective.. It could not be going better. In high school, Hersch demonstrated an indefatigable drive to attain her goal and began attending football practices as a student-media member. You want your listeners to spend four hours a day with you, 20 hours a week, which is a ton. Entering any broadcasting assignment prepared and ready to perform at a high level in any role is a fundamental aspect of durability and productivity. Geno made us a mommy and daddy," Andrew continued. With Nick, I just think that he is able to process his thoughts and articulate them better than most people Ive ever met. Fans of the radio personality have offered condolences and support to him on his first day back on-air. twitter. And then Drew Butler whos a rising star in the media business. He started calling me Steak around the office. Mobitell. Whether it is members of the crew, on-air colleagues, producers or executives, she is grateful to have a team of people around her assisting in all facets of the production. "He looked just like his dad and had the longest hands and feet. Radio is a friggin nightmare in terms of setting down your roots. Born on January 2, Andrew is one charming man who was born in the '90s. 22h. I want to grow my business into the biggest content agency in the Southeast. Its exciting; its fast-paced; were only showing the very best of each and every night.. Matthew Marczi of SteelersDepot has a good breakdown of the story HERE Poni claims that he "mischaracterized" the situation. Ive got goals for myself. Former New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton and Hall-of-Fame signal-caller Terry Bradshaw criticized Brady during Fox's NFL coverage on Sunday, and radio hosts Andrew Fillipponi and Danny . You dont always have to be right. Its betting with my brain yada, yada, yada. Derek Futterman is a features reporter for Barrett Sports Media. It took time for Hersch to become comfortable displaying her personality on camera, but she has found a way to gradually grow accustomed to expand her on-air presence and exhibit her versatility. Radio can be a grind. Youve got to find somewhere that you can be on the radio. He touches on the aftermath of a mini sparring session he had with Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett on Twitter. I dont want to jinx myself and predict the future, but Id like to see the content side of my business grow into one of the most influential. In 2010, he moved to Pittsburgh and began hosting at 93.7 The Fan. I didnt think Id get to be on the air for 25 years, have a Food Network show, do national TV, CNN, Fox News, all these things. My time in news taught me that I only want to work in sports, Hersch said. I didnt know shit about the SEC. "There have been very, very, very faint criticisms of Tomlin even after things like the Jaguars playoff loss. Whats your actual name and how did Steak Shapiro come to be? On Monday, 93.7 The Fan afternoon talk show host Andrew Fillipponi returned to his usual afternoon drivetime host chair after an extended absence. Bonnevilles Scott Sutherland will moderate the session titled Business Strategy For Economic Uncertainty. Out for drinks and out of nowhere he decided that he has a baby on the aftermath a. Or Drew comes in, or Drew comes in, theyre so up... Grow my business into the biggest success stories at Syracuse on his first day back on-air about weekday. 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